Kewanee Hospital signs agreement to join OSF

Thursday

Oct 17, 2013 at 9:00 AM

Deal to be finalized next spring

OSF Healthcare System and Kewanee Hospital have signed a definitive agreement that will result in Kewanee Hospital joining OSF pending approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.Kewanee Hospital is expected to join the Catholic healthcare system next spring. The announcement comes after six months of due diligence, a process which validated the benefits of the affiliation to the communities they serve.Before a change of ownership can occur the organizations must receive approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board which will be sought at the board’s Dec. 17 meeting.“We are excited to partner with OSF HealthCare. This affiliation will further enhance our ability to provide excellent care to our patients,” said Lynn Fulton, CEO of Kewanee Hospital. “The new affiliation will ensure that our community has local access to high quality and cost effective health care services for many years to come.” Gary Pheiffer, chair of the Kewanee Hospital Board of Trustees, said, “The board believes its decision to integrate Kewanee Hospital into the OSF Healthcare System will enable Kewanee Hospital to better serve the health care needs of the area communities. “As one of the largest health care networks in Illinois, OSF HealthCare has invested wisely in new processes and technologies to better serve patients,” Pheiffer said. “Most importantly, however, the philosophy and values of Kewanee Hospital align very well with those of OSF HealthCare. We look forward to working with them in this new relationship.” Among the anticipated benefits local residents will experience is greater access to integrated primary, secondary, and advanced tertiary health care services. Achieving excellence in clinical innovations, services, quality, costs and outcomes have also been identified as goals of both organizations.OSF HealthCare CEO Kevin Schoeplein said he is very positive about the future of health care in Kewanee and the surrounding communities.“We are very pleased with and appreciative of the support this affiliation has received from business leaders, elected officials and from our respective medical staffs, including independent physicians who serve our patients,” said Schoeplein. “It demonstrates a collaborative, shared interest in our mission to serve persons with the greatest care and love in a community that celebrates the gift of life.”